A magnetic tape is widely used as a recording medium that records and saves information of a computer or the like. For example, as a magnetic tape drive that records digital data by using the magnetic tape, an LTO (Liner Tape Open) drive or the like is widely spread.
In the magnetic tape drive, recording and reproduction of data on the magnetic tape are performed by a magnetic head. Then, to perform the correct recording and reproduction of the data to the magnetic tape, the magnetic tape is preferably positioned accurately with respect to the magnetic head. Also, by accurately positioning the magnetic tape, it is possible to further improve a recording density of information recorded on the magnetic tape. If the positioning of the magnetic tape with respect to the magnetic head is not correct and travelling of the magnetic tape meanders with respect to the magnetic head, a fault may occur in the correct recording and reproduction of the data. Also, it is difficult to improve the recording density of the information recorded on the magnetic tape.
To accurately carrying out the positioning of the magnetic tape, a stationary guide, a roller guide, and the like are proposed as a mechanism for carrying out the positioning of the magnetic tape with respect to the magnetic head. The stationary guide is used for adjusting a position in a direction orthogonal to a travelling direction of the magnetic tape with respect to the magnetic head (hereinafter, which will be referred to as “width direction of the magnetic tape”) to guide the magnetic tape to the magnetic head. Furthermore, if the magnetic tape is directly fed to the stationary guide, a friction between the stationary guide and the magnetic tape becomes severe because of an angle of the magnetic tape or the like, and the magnetic tape may have a scratch. In view of the above, the roller guide is used for feeding the magnetic tape by using the rollers and adjusting the angle or the like towards the stationary guide to guide the magnetic tape to the stationary guide.
The roller guide generally has a structure in which the roller that rotates in the travelling direction of the magnetic tape are nipped between flanges functioning as stationary positioning parts to suppress a displacement in the width direction of the magnetic tape. For example, a structure is adopted in which the flanges that are disc-like plates mutually fixed by a shaft of the roller are arranged in both ends of the tubular roller.
For the magnetic tape drive, a related art technology of sucking medium dust in the vicinity of the head by using an impeller provided to a shaft of the rotating magnetic head is proposed. Also, a related art technology of removing dust of an edge part of the tape guide through suction by providing a suction nozzle in the vicinity of the edge of the tape guide is proposed.
See Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-340432, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 63-247909, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-180408, and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 53-118017.
However, when the magnetic tape travels on the roller of the guide roller, an edge part in the width direction of the magnetic tape (hereinafter, which will be referred to as “tape edge”) may be in friction with the stationary flange. In this case, it is conceivable that dust generated through the friction between the tape edge and the flange scatters towards the magnetic tape side. Then, the scattered dust adheres to the magnetic tape, and the magnetic head performs the recording or reproduction with respect to the magnetic tape to which the dust adheres, which may lead to a data check fault. In this manner, if the dust generated in the guide roller is not removed, a quality of operations such as the recording and reproduction of the data in the magnetic tape apparatus is unstable.
Also, according to the related art technology of sucking the dust in the vicinity of the head by using the impeller, it is difficult to remove dust generated at a location other then the vicinity of the head such as the dust generated through the friction between the flange and the magnetic tape, and it is difficult to stabilize the operation quality of the magnetic tape apparatus. Furthermore, if the impeller rotates in one direction, the dust may be removed. However, during the backward rotation because of a rewind of the tape or the like, the air blows back, and the dust may be generated by contraries. In view of this too, it is difficult to stabilize the operation quality. Also, according to the related art technology of removing the dust at the edge part of the tape guide by providing the suction nozzle in the vicinity of the edge of the tape guide through the suction, the mechanism for carrying out the vacuum suction is used, and costs increase.